About Impact Mediation

 

Welcome to Impact Mediation. My name is Vesna Flower Cvjeticanin and I am an accredited mediator under the National Mediator Accreditation System (NMAS). 

My background is in law. Over a period of 30 years, I worked in various Federal and State Government agencies, community organisations and a private firm.

With more than three years of working in my own business as a mediator, I possess the knowledge, skills and ethics needed to help you with your matter.  I am confident I can work with you and assist you in reaching a desired outcome. 

View my resume for more details of my experience.

  • 1. Elder mediation

    Supporting the elderly through the changes and stresses that occur in the family life cycle

    Learn more

  • 2. Association, club and membership disputes

    Supporting not-for-profit organisations with disputes including member grievances, committee election and rule breaches

    Learn more

  • 3. Small business and commercial disputes

    Supporting small business, sole-owner and partnership disputes

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Areas of my practice

 
 

Elder Mediation

One of the key areas I specialise in is Elder Mediation. This is a complex, sensitive and of recently a growing area of practice. 

The issues where help from an Elder Mediator like myself could be appropriate include:

  • Care needs

    Care needs of older people and family involvement in the determination of how to ensure best care for an ageing person or a couple and could involve:


    accommodation for ageing parents and financial arrangements,
    -
    adult children's involvement in future life decision-making,
    -
    type of care that is appropriate to an older couple or an individual,
    -
    involving care professionals and briefing them,
    -
    disputes between age care providers and families and/or individual care receivers,
    -
    lack of clarity in obtaining Government and community services

  • Inheritance disputes

    Regarding inheritance disputes, a mediator can assist in:


    discussing the relevant matters,
    -
    ensuring people are aware of the impact their decisions can have for the future of their financial security as well as of their families,
    -
    any disputes that may arise in families around wills in terms of who is entitled to what,
    -
    discussing and generating options for non-litigative resolution of matters and so on

  • Capacity and decision-making

    Mediation for elder capacity and decision-making could involve:


    general power of attorneys and enduring POAs,
    -
    advance care directives

  • Family disputes

    Mediation can assist with any other family conflicts, issues or disputes that may arise around ageing which aren’t covered in the other three categories.

How is elder mediation different from other forms of mediation?

This form of mediation normally involves larger and more varied numbers of participants including: 

  • the older person

  • a support person or advocate for the older person

  • members of their immediate and/or extended family

  • friends, neighbours

  • significant others who are involved with the care of an older person such as –

    • paid or unpaid carers

    • nursing home or hospital staff

    • community nurses

    • outreach care services

    • general practitioners

    • physio therapists

    • dentists

    • dietitians and nutritionists

    • gerontologists

    • aged care workers

    • social workers

    • psychologists 

    • any other professionals

“A professionally trained elder mediator helps facilitate discussions that assist people in addressing the myriad of changes and stresses that often occur throughout the family life cycle”

— Judy McCann-Beranger, 2013

I also work with my colleagues mediators who are available to co-mediate in complex matters, if necessary, where multiple parties are involved. 

My practice provides comprehensive setting in which parties are able to identify and address issues in their matter: 

  • facilitative and other modes of mediation, as appropriate 

  • mediation with large groups, including co-mediation –

    • adult children

    • other family members

    • care providers

    • social workers

    • financial advisers

    • lawyers

    • doctors

    • specialists

    • psychologists

    • community workers

    • ethnic community pastor or members

  • pre-mediation meetings to prepare older people and others for mediation

  • screening for elder abuse 

    • financial

    • physical

    • emotional

    • domestic violence

    • duress of any kind

    • bullying

    • withdrawal or non-provision of care

  • determining who should participate, how, when and under what circumstances 

  • facilitating the involvement of the older person (with full, limited or without capacity), directly or indirectly 

  • involving support persons/advocates/carers for the older person 

  • multi-party mediation 

  • referral to other professionals/services such as counsellors, lawyers, social workers, community support workers, aged care services and so on.

I am always prepared to engage in initial contacts to gauge the issues and determine whether mediation is an appropriate and recommended practice, considering all relevant matters. 

 
 

Association, club and membership disputes

There is an array of disputes that are continually emerging in community organisations, incorporated associations and other not-for-profit and charitable organisations.

Given that these bodies are formed by a group of volunteers with the best intentions in mind, any issue could often be perceived on a personal level, making the dispute challenging and with significant impact on the ongoing operation of the organisation.

Associations are relatively simple to run, but the range of issues that cause grief to members we see in practice is enormous. They include:

  • disputes among members

  • disputes within committees

  • committee office bearers’ elections

  • funding and financial expenditure issues

  • disciplinary procedures

  • ‘breach of ethics’ and ‘rules of conduct’

  •  individual member grievances, etc.

I also provide seminars to associations to make them aware of mediation as a time- and cost-effective way of resolving disputes.

 
 
 

Small business and commercial disputes

As a business owner and long-term director in a number of for-profit and not-for-profit organisations, as well as with my experience in the Government licensing area, I am here to assist you and your business with guidance and assistance in resolving your small business, sole-owner and partnership disputes. 

While I do not provide business or financial advice, I can help you work out a conflict or dispute you cannot resolve on your own.

Remember: it is not necessary to go to court or tribunal to sort out your dispute!

If you wish to explore issues that relate to anything that could be resolved without litigation – where it is reasonable to consider that settlement would be a realistic and sustainable outcome – please contact me. I am happy to talk to you to explore the issues and evaluate if mediation is a suitable process for the dispute or conflict. 

You are not alone - issues regularly occur in form of partnership disputes, business and family loans, personal conflicts in small business and family-run business environments, small business workplace issues etc. They can be resolved through mediated process, to the satisfaction of all involved.

Contact me for an obligation-free initial consultation.